Senate of Ruins
by SRona58
Summary: When Leia is sent on a diplomatic mission to Coruscant to rebuild the Senate after the Battle of Endor, Han offers his hand as her security guide in order to keep her from leaving him behind. Han/Leia
1. I

**A/N: Enjoy this new story, everyone! I will be wrapping up The Rebel Retreat with the next chapter, so I wanted to put something new out there. I have been busy moving, so I haven't been able to update my other stories, and I'm sorrry about that!**

 **On another note...I have some exciting news to share! Mark Hamill himself liked our tweet about our FanFiction page! I'm beyond thrilled to have such an honor, and hope one day Luke himself gets to critique my portrayal of his young character. But until then...may the Force be with you all!**

* * *

 **I**

Smoke rose patiently from the forest trees, clouding the night air like a giant cobweb had been launched over the planet. Somewhere in the distance, a fire burned. Then, beyond that, another fire. And another after that, continuing on and on until the whole forest wrapped around on itself. Suddenly, the small moon forest seemed bigger than it really was. Music raged from all over – in the trees, on the ground, into the sky… It was as though the forest turned into a tropical jungle, with an array of celebratory parties spanning the vast canopies and tree tops.

In the darkness, a sullen Han Solo watched from a vacant piece of wooden pathway that the Ewoks had built in their trees. He had left the party early, not enjoying the realization that the war had ended. Sure, in theory, there was still much more to accomplish, but the best part was over. The tough part that required his efforts was over. Even if Leia cared for him, once she realized he had no good qualities outside of being a smuggler and pilot, she would surely begin to like him less. That and the boy would move on to train further into being a Jedi and probably leave the Alliance all together. Han would be alone once more – just he and his ship…and Chewie.

Han turned back towards the _Falcon_ , his beloved home. He scanned her over from a distance, waiting until he made it safely back to her and was able to get a good night's rest. Part of him wanted to stay out with the others and celebrate, but his emotions were running too wild for his on liking. He had left Leia in good hands with Luke and Lando, allowing him to live in a world of silence for at least a little bit.

The white noise buzzing from his comlink interrupted Han as he tried to figure out the best path to take through the linked bridges to get him back to where Lando had brought her down.

"What's up, kid?" Han's voice was distracted as he returned Luke's call.

"Where'd you go?" the young voice of the boy replied back.

Han rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath. Of course Luke would be the first to notice his absence. It was a miracle he wasn't tamed like a dog with how often the kid was able to pin point them using his Jedi abilities.

"Just out for a walk," Han answered bitterly.

There was a brief pause before Luke's voice was heard again. "Just don't get yourself into any trouble," he warned.

"I'll be fine, kid," Solo assured him. "We just blew up the Empire, remember?" Han hinted at the fact that he would hardly get himself into any kind of predicament with a planet full of little bears that seemed to currently worship him.

Tucking the comlink back in his belt holster, Solo began his trek back to the only thing he knew as his. The maze in the trees made it a longer journey than it had to be, but eventually, he navigated it enough to get him to where he needed to be – in front of the _Millennium Falcon_.

Solo let down the loading ramp and boarded his ship. Sullen eyes and dark circles on his face showed the lack of energy starting to become more and more present, and the weight on his shoulders felt heavier than ever. Carefully, he unclipped his holster and pulled off his boots as he made his way to the crew cabins to catch a few blinks of rest before someone caught him on his escape.

Slowly, he tossed the blanket in the air that covered his bunk in hopes of straightening it out. He wanted nothing more than to fall head first into the bed, but the sting of his leg where he has been caught by a blaster shot suddenly interrupted his descent into the mattress.

Han unbuttoned his Corellian stripes and slowly kicked them off – half due to grogginess and half due to the burning in his thigh. He twisted to his left side, trying to examine the wound. The blaster had only clipped him, thankfully just grazing the side of the thigh and nothing more. Wincing, he stood straight again and removed the striped pants from his ankles and tugged off his shirt after letting his vest fall to the floor behind him. The only thing that would fix his pain would be a quick shower and some bacta gel on the clean wound once he got out.

Silently, Solo made his way to the shower adjacent to the bunk. He ran cold water – he still felt the heat of the moon's atmosphere crawling into his skin and needed to cool off before he added dehydration to the list of problems running through his mind.

He let the water pour over his head as he leaned an arm up against the wall of the shower. The water stung like hot steam on a sunburn, which he had experienced plenty of times during his lost boy years on Corellia. As he put his weight on one leg in order to twist the other clear into the stream of the water, he winced again and closed his eyes. Slowly, the sting turned into a tingling warmth.

Once the sweat was washed off of his body and the dirt flowed out of his hair and his leg wound, the smuggler turned off the water and wrapped his waist in a towel. He opened the door back to the bunk and ran his hand through his long hair as he gazed at his feet on the familiar floor, making a mental note to chop a bit off again the next time he had a spare minute. For now, though, sleep was more important.

Han looked back up after water began dripping to the floor from his shaggy head. His eyes crawled over the stout body of a familiar female figure sitting on his bed. A stack of his clothes, folded, sat in a pile next to her, and his belt holster and blaster had been hung on the rail of the bunk next to his.

"Leia," Solo whispered, stunned to see how quickly she had tracked him down. "How did you—"

"Luke," the Princess told him softly. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

The worry in her eyes pierced him. "I'm fine," he promised. "How did you know, anyway?"

"Luke," she revealed.

 _Of course the kid would know._ He wobbled over to the medical kit on the wall and searched for the bacta gel he kept stocked for times like these. "You can't keep taking care of me."

Leia watched him make his way across the room again and back to his bunk. He stood in front of her, offering her the bottle so he could position himself well enough to apply it to his thigh.

"Stop," she ordered after watching him struggle for a few moments. "You still make everything so difficult sometimes," she told him as she silently rolled her eyes in her mind at his stubbornness.

Finally, Han gave in and allowed Leia to brush the towel away from his leg. As she traced up the edge of the towel to hold it aside and reveal the wound, her fingertips began to burn hot against him. She was sure he had noticed the situation intensify just as she had. As she blushed, Leia swallowed a nervous gulp and exhaled patiently. This was the first time she had seen so much of him. Even with just the towel, she had been speechless. But as a Senator, it was her duty to not be caught off guard. And so, she did not waver in her offer to help him.

Han glanced down at her, their eyes meeting. Something sparked for a moment as Leia held his gaze, her hand slowly pressing firmly against his wound. Feeling her heart race, she finally broke eye contact and held out the bottle back to him.

"Maybe you should do it," she decided, cooling whatever was happening between them. "My hands are dirty." The excuse was the same lame one she had offered him before he had kissed her on the way to Bespin. Only, this time, she had a point – she had just emerged from the forest, and Han still had suds around the bottom of his chin.

Solo nodded and accepted the bottle from her. He gently rubbed some of the bacta gel onto his wound, hoping it would help clear it up within the next couple of days. Then, he set it down on the bed next to his holster for when he wanted to reapply it in the morning.

"I, uh…" Solo began awkwardly, hinting to Leia that he had to change into actual clothes.

"Han," Leia chuckled, standing to attempt to meet his height, even though she was still a good foot shorter than him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, gently massaging the sore muscles beneath them to keep him mellowed. "It's just me."

"Just you?" he repeated, suddenly stunned by how well she could release the knot in his shoulder.

"Well, yes." Leia spoke innocently, as though she didn't seem to care whether he was wearing a towel or no towel. "If you'd like me to leave, I can, but—"

"No, stay." Solo caught her hands on his shoulders to stop her from massaging them any further. Instantly, the heat returned to their point of contact.

Leia was at a loss for words as he let go of one hand and brought it up to trace the edge of her cheek. His feathery touch had her skin dancing with fire and ice. She gazed up at him with a mixture of longing and exhaustion, but encouraged him to make another move.

Before she could speak again, Han wrapped his hand around her neck and brought her lips to his, kissing her deeply and with more emotion than he had ever shown her. The revelation that this might be the last time he would get to hold her like he was flowed through him – he wasn't ready to let her go, but eventually, she would leave on her own. Was it fair to keep her coming to him until she realized that herself?

Leia pulled away from him, keeping her free hand at her side. She didn't know where to place it without accidentally unwrapping his towel from around his waist, so that was the safest place. She scanned his hazel eyes for any hint that he wanted more, but instead, found both the desire for sleep and a hidden sadness instead.

"What is it?" she asked, growing concerned.

Han wanted to answer, but couldn't decide how to explain to her. He didn't even know if he wanted to explain it to her. It didn't make much difference what he said – she would still leave eventually. They always did, which is why he started sticking to one night stands during his smuggling days.

Despite the need for conversation, the comlink in Han's holster went off again, spreading white noise through the bunk room.

"Han, buddy, you there?" Skywalker called once more, awaiting his friend's reply.

Solo frowned but let go of Leia in order to answer his summon. He struggled for a moment to release the comlink from his belt before he finally jiggled it loose; it was harder than it looked after all the years of practice of taking it from his hip. "Yeah, kid, I told you I'd be fine."

"The Alliance wants us back on base to regroup," Luke continued, ignoring Han's snappy reply. "Mon's worried about the galaxy going into turmoil after word starts to spread."

"Great," Solo muttered, running a hand through his hair once more in frustration. "Meet ya there, kid. I'll take the Princess on the _Falcon_."

Luke gave his okay as he signed off, confirming he had room to take Chewie and the others along with him. Then, Han turned back to Leia and gave her his cocky half smile as he sheepishly tried to woo her into accepting the fact that they had to leave.

"What'd'ya say, sweetheart?" he asked her in a mock tone. "Think you can help me fly this ol' girl?"


	2. II

**A/N: Please read and review!**

* * *

II

After the call came from Luke to get back to base immediately, Leia had excused herself from Han's bunk in order to let him change. She knew if she had stayed in the room any longer, it would have made for a tough time getting off of Endor. There had been too much electricity between them for their own good – she knew Han was hurt, and anything beyond a kiss might injure him further.

Han insisted on staying awake to pilot back to the frigate on his own. He had attempted to show Leia the controls, but had given up quickly after realizing it would be quicker to start her up on his own. Despite not having Chewie around, he could still operate solo.

Leia had become more frustrated each time he had asked her to flip a switch above her head or push a button on the dash. Finally, upon understanding that it wasn't the best time for her to learn how to pilot the large freighter, Leia sat herself down in the copilots chair after a quick kiss on Han's cheek; it was the best she could do to stay out of his way but keep an eye on him in case he started to drift off.

It hadn't taken long for the _Falcon_ to reach the Alliance base. The frigate had traveled closer to Endor after the war had been won, allowing a quicker regroup for the troops afterwards. Despite the distance still separating the two, only a few hours remained for travel time back to the larger ship.

By the time they arrived, Solo's eyes were obviously heavy with sleep. Yet, he still argued the idea of taking a nap. Leia gave him a peck on the lips after he shut his ship down on the loading dock of the frigate in hopes of waking him up a tad. His eyes seemed delighted, but his heart was still swamped with exhaustion.

"Come on, fly boy," she whispered as she stood up and moved behind his pilot chair. "Luke's waiting for us."

"Luke." Han mumbled the Jedi's name as though it were on the scales of 'Darth Vader'. He knew that he was Leia's brother now, but it still made him jealous that he had a connection with her that would never falter.

Leia's disapproving frown made him realize his mistake. Instead of making it into a big deal, Han smiled his crooked smile at her and stood up. Adjusting his belt holster, he prepared to walk off the _Falcon_ for the first time with everything he had ever wanted – out of the Rebellion and with the girl he loved. He held out his arm in an offer to Leia, hoping she would take it as she had on Bespin when they had first arrived. Then, he proceeded in heading down the corridors to the loading ramp of the _Falcon_.

"You think the kid's waiting for us?" he asked, still pondering over Luke.

Leia thought for a moment as they exited down the ramp. "He's here," she answered. "They're in the briefing room."

Han rolled his eyes, but shortly after, he hoped she hadn't sensed _that_ as well. Leia had grown with the Force after Luke had called to her on Bespin. He had heard all about how she had saved him, and although he approved of how brave she had been, he hated hearing about their biological link. To him, it was all still fake.

He remained silent as he escorted her to the briefing room. The loading dock was bustling with crew members prepping the X-wings – it was obvious something was about to happen, and it was more obvious that they were going to be part of it.

Mon Mothma wasted no time once they arrived at the briefing room. Taking a seat next to Luke, Han leaned back in his casual position and stretched both arms out behind the kid and Leia on his other side. Chewie yowled a rumble of a greeting from the row behind him. He nodded to the air in signal that he had heard his friend's 'hello'.

"Welcome," Mon spoke slowly and intellectually, as she always had.

Solo raised his eyebrows in response, sarcastically showing how much he wanted to be there.

She continued. "Congratulations, Rebels. Not only have we ended the reign of the Galactic Empire, but we have also begun to restore peace to the galaxy."

A murmur spread through the gathered Alliance members – some approved of her words, others wondered how much work they had ahead of them. The biggest issue was addressed next: how to begin rebuilding order.

"The planet of Coruscant had been the meeting point for the Senate many years ago. Emperor Palpatine and his rule had taken over the honorable sector of the galaxy, but now, it is our turn to bring it back to what it once was: a democracy."

Luke was first to object. "Most of the galaxy hasn't even heard of the Empire falling yet!" For a young kid, he knew a lot about the results of war.

"He's right," Leia agreed boldly. "Surely you don't assume the Alliance can just sweep through the city and retake the throne."

Mon gazed upon her with a calm look, suddenly frightening the young woman. For once, the Princess wondered if she should have kept her thoughts to herself, but she knew her father had never raised her that way. Her father on Alderaan, anyway. She had often heard about her real mother and her achievements as part of the original Senate, but her life had always been consumed by the Galactic Senate, ruled by Emperor Palpatine. The chance to rebuild could be her first to witness a galaxy of peace and unity.

"Not at all, Princess Organa," Mothma replied finally. "I won't be needing to send a full fleet."

"And that's where we come into play," Han muttered, rolling his eyes once more. He brought a hand from behind Luke to his chin and rubbed it firmly, as he always did when he was stressed.

"Just the Princess," Mothma replied coolly. "The Senator, rather, as she was previously termed."

"Leia?" Han asked, appalled that she would suggest such a thing. "You want Leia to go on her own to Coruscant and risk her life in an attempt to rebuild our precious Senate?" He sat forward, as though challenging the leader of the Rebellion.

"We will send a security unit, of course."

Any amount of people in her security guard would not be good enough. Solo knew how the Empire still rules Coruscant. He knew how the Imperial units on guard at the old Senate were probably still not aware of the destruction of the two Sith Lords. They would be on strict standby until the news was confirmed that Skywalker had destroyed it all.

Leia looked to the ground, her face still with thought. Han knew she wanted to go – this was what she was born for. But he also knew she was fearful of what he was also fearful of. This could be her last mission, if she were not protected fully.

Mon Mothma took the moment of silence in the room to go over the intended plans. "The Imperial troops on Coruscant will be instructed to stand down by her security unit. I will personally record a hologram announcement to send to the surrounding parts of the galaxy before she lands.

Once in the city, it will be the Princess's job to re-declare herself as Princess of Alderaan, and Princess of the Alliance. Once she is securely in the Chancellor's seat, the Alliance will have her declare a message to all networking planets to send their command to Coruscant as well. Then, we can rebuild the democracy that once was."

"And what makes you think something like this will work?" Solo asked, trying to make her falter in confidence.

It didn't work.

"The Empire was feared for too many years," Mothma answered. "No one will risk going to Coruscant to claim the Senate as their own before us, especially if word has not spread. Seeing the face of the Princess that was thought to be lost to the planet of Alderaan will reunite the peaceful systems. This is the best chance we have at rebuilding a peaceful galaxy. As you well know, Princess," she concluded, turning to Leia, who gazes up at Mon once more. "You might be our only hope at locking the Empire away for good."

Leia didn't have to think twice – she knew the Alliance leader was right. No one else was prepared enough to take on such a feat, and sending someone like Luke onto the planet to do the job for her may cause turmoil because of his sense of the Force. No one knew she had the same abilities yet except for him and Han.

Solo knew she was going to accept. He intercepted her agreement with his own. He was not ready to lose her – not yet. Seizing the opportunity to continue to be of aid, he stood up and hooked his thumbs in his belt loops.

"Then send me," he offered. "As her escort."

"Han!" Leia objected, pulling at his hand to get him to sit back down. He didn't budge.

Han instead kept a straight face, almost willing Mon Mothma to argue with him. "I can act as security. I've been doing it for the past few months now, anyway. She'll be safe with me."

"She'll be vulnerable with you," Mothma snapped, denying his offer. "Any moment you let your guard down, she can be harmed."

"I know that," he promised. "Which is why I'm the best man for the job."

Their eye contact seemed to last forever as Mon pondered the idea of sending Solo with Leia to Coruscant. The eerie silence of the rest of the Rebllion laid across the room as she decided whether or not to agree with the smuggler. He had the skills, but sometimes, he lacked the willpower. His temper would surely get in the way, too – he had never been one to make friends easily.

"Leia is a _Senator,_ " Mon pointed out, attempting to politely let him know he was not fit to make public appearances that would require the skills of a royal family.

Solo pressed his lips together as he stood on his heels. He was defeated with her assessment. He had been a thief and a pirate all of his life, and did not know the fancy diners or addresses she would have to hold while attempting to rebuild the Senate. It would takes months to do, and he wasn't sure he was ready for months of a Princess's lifestyle. However, he did know he was ready for Leia, which was enough.

Leia sensed his internal struggle and stood to show her appreciation. "He's right," she told Mon softly. Lacing her hand with his after pulling one off of his belt, she declared her order. "I trust him. Even with my life."

Solo whipped his head towards her with a wild look of astonishment at her statement. He wasn't sure she still felt that way about him, but it was clear that he had made the right choice stepping up. A childish grin lifted the corner of his mouth as he felt genuinely wanted.

Leia didn't bother to look towards him; her intertwining of their hands spoke loud enough for the room. Instead, she didn't let her gaze waver as she demanded he be sent with her. It was final – in order to accept Mon's order to rebuild the Senate on Coruscant, Leia would be taking Han Solo as her escort.


	3. III

**A/N: I apologize for the delay of writing. I had been following Star Wars Celebration, attended the screening of The Killing Joke, planned a trip to California, work, and so on... Hopefully, I can get back to this soon!**

 **I have also been so thrilled to locate some stories that I had put up under a different pen name that I no longer have access to as I have lost the password and email on that account. I hope to repost some of those soon after I have checked them through - they were written yearssss ago!**

* * *

 **III**

The instructions from Mon Mothma were clear: go to the bunk, dress in the outfits of honor dropped off, and arrive at the docking bay no later than two standard hours later. It was enough time for Han and Leia to catch a wink of sleep before they begun to prepare themselves for their leave.

Upon arriving back at his bunk, Han had undressed down to his boxers and catered to the wound that was almost fully healed on his leg. It appeared to be much better than the day before when Leia had helped him apply his remaining bacta gel on the area. Once he finished cleaning it off for what would most likely be the last time, he collapsed face first into the pillow on his bunk. The bed was small, but once he rolled over onto his side, Leia was able to squeeze in with him.

Laying her head on his shoulder, she gazed at the wall across from them, hoping it would somehow transform back into the plains on Alderaan or the walls of the _Falcon_ on their way to Cloud City. The last thing she wanted was to be sent on another mission – as much as she loved the Alliance, she was ready to forget the Empire had ever existed. All it caused was pain, and she hated feeling so lonely.

"Han?" she questioned quietly, tilting her head up towards his chin.

He grunted, encouraging her to continue.

"Do you really want to do this?" Leia asked, letting her fears out.

He pressed his brow together, then winked an eye open and caught her gaze. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the tough Princess is starting to want out."

Leia sighed. Of course he wouldn't understand. It wasn't about the Rebellion, it was about _him_. They had finally won. They had finally ended the war. They had finally gained a moment to themselves, if the Alliance stopped creating other plans for them. But he was right – she was a rebel and the Alliance was her home. There was no turning back now, only joining her.

"It will be a boring mission," she whispered, almost as though trying to convince herself that as well.

"I'll make it more exciting," he murmured, flashing a hint of his crooked grin at her.

He felt Leia roll her eyes on his shoulder, knowing full well she would hate his sense of humor at such a time. But he knew if he didn't try to make her smile, she would worry the entire time they were gone.

Then, Solo rolled the two over until he hovered over his Princess. He held his face close to hers, until their lips barely brushed. "We have a few more hours, you know," he told her in a persuasive tone.

Leia chuckled – he was even more of a dog than before they had first been together on the trip to the rebel base after leaving Jabba's Palace. But he was right, and that mixed with her fear of losing him after he witnessed how she used to act in royalty convinced her to go along with his plan.

* * *

After Han's decision to seduce Leia for only the second time in their relationship, the Princess and the smuggler both agreed to try to get a small amount of sleep. What seemed like moments later, the two were blinking their eyes open again to the pounding on the door from Luke, ready to escort them to the docking bay. Hurriedly, Han pulled on an outfit similar to the one he had been given after graduating from the Imperial Naval Academy – not the Stormtrooper's piloting armor, but the Navy blues that went along with his Corellian blood stripes. It was the first time he had been in formal wear since leaving the Empire's clutches so long ago.

Solo gazed into a small mirror on the door, taking in his professional dress for the first time since he had joined the Alliance. He kept a steady face, but his insides were tearing him apart. Memories of Dewlanna and Shrike flashed by, reminding him of all the reasons he vowed never to live on the fancy side of things again, no matter which side he was on.

But those days were nothing compared to the royalty Leia portrayed. Even though Han felt overdressed, he was not on the same power ranking of the Princess, and that was made clear. Stepping back into her days on Alderaan, she was forced to dress in white – not a gown, as though she imagined she would be in, but a full bodysuit, slightly armored, with a defining cape draped over both shoulders. It reminded her of something her father used to wear – her real father, not her birth father.

There was something appealing about seeing Leia in a more masculine outfit, but Han kept his words to himself. Instead, he let her look him over, a small frown of disapproval curbing her lips down as she patted down his collar until it lay just the way she thought looked well. Ignoring the gesture that reminded him she was once a Princess, Han held out his arm to her, similar to as he had on Bespin before their delivery to Darth Vader.

"Ready, sweetheart?" he asked, his crooked smile beaming across his face.

"This isn't a game, Han," she told him defensively. Leia knew Solo had never been in such a formal circumstance, but she did know he was one for dangerous situations, which would aid her in their effort to recover the Senate.

Solo looked almost offended – his expression faded from amusement to confusion as she took his arm. Holding onto his forearm, Leia avoided his eye contact as they began their parade to the docking bay, the Jedi guiding them the entire way.

As they passed through the members of the Rebellion in the metal halls of their vessel base, Solo leaned down slightly to whisper on Leia's ear without nearby people catching his words. "You'd think they'd never seen a guy in a suit before," he muttered as they entered the docking bay, glaring at a pilot who seemed shocked to see him in classic navy dress.

Leia kept her gaze steady ahead of her, not noticeably acknowledging him. She wanted to assure Mon that taking Han with her was not a mistake, so the more formal she acted, the better the takeoff from base would be.

"Even I haven't seen you in uniform before, General." Leia tried to add some humor to her voice, but Solo caught on to her nervousness.

He stood tall once more. "Don't worry, your Highness," he muttered. "I'll behave until we leave the bay."

He didn't have to see Leia's face to know she relaxed a small bit. A slight grin sparkled from her eyes as she attempted to ignore his last comments before they boarded his beloved _Falcon_.

"Chewie's just starting her up now," Luke informed his fiends once they reached the loading ramp of the ship. "He's not too happy about being left behind," he added after a brief glance at the unit.

"I'm sure he'll be fine with you, kid," Solo decided, shrugging off the guilt of leaving his copilot behind. "He can join us on the next one."

Behind them, the roar of a Wookie sounded as he replied to their discussion about him – something he was able to pick up even though he was inside the iron walls of the ship.

Han shook his head and looked at his home. "I sure hope she makes it back from this one…" he muttered. "I've got a bad feeling about this." Then, he faked a smile and left Leia with Luke as he boarded the _Falcon_. "I'll see ya when we get back," he told his friend as he embraced him in a quick hug.

"I hope you're promising that," Luke replied, understanding why Han was so hesitant about the trip. It was new territory – new goals for them to achieve while still keeping everyone at peace. Putting Leia in the middle of that was not the best of plans for her sake, but it was the best hope for the Alliance to regain order.

Then, for a brief moment, Solo gazed back from the middle of the loading ramp, taking in what had become his second home. He watched over it and the hustle that was going on between pilots and engineers who were waiting to get them launched as though he would never see it again.

Leia frowned as she watched him from Luke's side. "He's not sure about this one," she told her brother in hopes that he could tell her if he had felt anything about the outcome of their mission. When he was silent, she turned to him and added, "We thought that would be the end of this."

"It doesn't change things instantly," Luke reminded her. "We needed the Empire gone, and we did it. Now, it's our time to restore the galaxy to what it used to be."

"To what it was before our father…" Leia whispered.

Her brother pulled her into a tight hug, wishing her well on their journey. "Someday, you will understand him. I know it."

Inside, Leia knew he was right. Her anger towards him would dissipate if she was able to sense him like her brother could. But until that day came, all she had of him was the memory of all the pain he had caused her. He had taken Alderaan from her, then Han, and then she had almost lost Luke, as well. It would be a long time before she would forgive him.

As she backed away, the voice of Mon Mothma sounded from behind Luke's body. Her approach was quiet, yet anticipated. "Princess," she greeted, holding out two hands in front of her, revealing a small screen tablet. "Your plans are documented specifically in this journal. Records of the important members of the Old Senate and democracy on Coruscant are included in your files. I suggest you review them on your trip into the core."

Leia accepted her gift. "I will," she vowed, and bowed her head in thanks for the information. "Thank you."

Then, from beside her - "Leia!" Han's voice echoed down the loading ramp as he summoned her to her copilot's chair. IT was time to begin their journey.

Leia turned toward the ship and prepared to board, sadly leaving behind all that she had left in the world besides her pilot.

"Leia!" Luke called, mimicking Solo. He couldn't let her leave without a goodbye.

The Princess turned toward her brother with relief plastered over her face. She was reluctant to leave, and was glad that he was keeping her feet on solid ground for just a few seconds more.

Her eyes said it all – without asking Luke what was on his mind, he offered her his thoughts. "May the Force be with you!" he told her, a small hint of a smile pulling his lips up at the corners of his mouth.

She returned the favor and grinned brightly. "And with you," she granted.

And then, it was time to join her companion in the cockpit.


End file.
